The Battle for Everything
by Tari Seregon
Summary: Who ever thought that the death of one man could cause so much to change? The war is upon them, and Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione have to win it to avenge him. PostHBP, contains spoilers! Rated just in case.
1. The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note:**Yes, indeed, this story WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS. So if you haven't read book 6, DONT READ IT. But hurry up and finish it because when you're done you can read my story.

**Disclaimer:** Characters and setting aint mine...they're Ms. Rowling's...blah de blah, went through this already. Plot is though so don't steal it. Please.

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_**Chapter One - Ron**_  
_** The Beginning of the End**_

**There was something about the way** that Harry had said goodbye that made me realize just how deeply cut he was by this whole experience. It was like we were saying our last goodbyes before being taken to the gallows to be hung. No words were said at first as we heaved our bags off the train. The whole ride had been quite silent – no one spoke for fear of making one of the girls cry again. Instead of the usual excitement about seeing our families again, instead of bubbling chatter and obnoxious games of Gobstones and Wizard's Chess which usually resulted in an argument but in the end would just be another thing to be happy about, everyone was dreading going home. Because at home, there would be questions, people fawning over you, constantly asking if you were hungry, even though you had already been stuffed with food.

Despite my feelings, however, I couldn't help but wonder how horribly Harry must have felt.

The kid hadn't said a word since we'd left the station at Hogwarts. He was sitting alone on his side of the coach, staring absently out the window as the rain pattered down against the glass. Somehow I felt that even if someone had punched him in the face, he'd have been too far away to feel the pain.

Ginny, Hermione, and I were seated on the other side of the coach. Ginny was just as bad as Harry was, only she was staring at her knees; every so often she glanced up at Harry, only to look quickly down again, as though she realized that that's not what he would have wanted and only wanted to please him.

To tell you the truth, I wasn't too thrilled with the whole idea of them going out to begin with. My sister was only fifteen. I didn't want to see her hurt so young. But if anyone were to date her, I would have chosen Harry.

Hermione was a wreck. When we were packing our stuff up to leave earlier that day, I had heard her footsteps coming up the stairs to the Boy's Dormitory. I had been too tired and depressed to acknowledge her at first, but when I'd heard her knock on the door, I couldn't help but turn to look at her.

I hated seeing her like this – her red eyes, her turned-down mouth, her shaking hands. I spoke softly.

"Oh, Hermione."

She ran to me, the tears freefalling again. I held on to her soft body, stroking her hair and wiping her tears away. She soaked the shoulder of my robes, but I didn't care – these robes were covered with the memories of a horrible night. I was going to burn them the second I got home.

As we sat in the coach on the way back to Platform 9 ¾, I was still holding her. She wasn't crying anymore, but she had her head on my shoulder, her hand on my chest, my arms around her. She was still shaking. I hated her shaking. I wanted to hold her and hold her like there was no tomorrow. If my holding her helped her the slightest bit, I would have held her forever.

But I was only a small comfort to her, something she knew she could find but wouldn't cure her.

Finally, we arrived at King's Cross. I didn't want to let go of her, but I knew I had to. I was just about to get up when I realized that she had fallen asleep.

I touched her cheek softly. That was enough. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, looking me straight in the eye.

"Did I fall asleep on you?" she asked after staring at me a few seconds, not comprehending who I was.

I smiled weakly. "Yeah, you did."

"Mmm," she mumbled. "You were comfortable."

I was taken aback. She laid back down on me again, a smile on her face. She must have still been mostly asleep. That was something she would never have said in her right mind.

"Hermione, we have to get off the train, we're at King's Cross," I said gently.

"We are?" she murmured, fatigue dripping off her words. "That's too bad. I was getting the best sleep I had gotten in a long while."

She stood up and took her trunk, letting it drop down on the floor with a huge thump. She also proceeded to get my trunk down, as well, and Pig's cage.

"Hermione, it's alright, I can do that," I said hurriedly, rushing to help her.

"No, no, it's okay, I slept on you the whole train ride, it's the least I can do."

I took her hand and said quietly, "You don't have to be perfect all the time."

She looked down at our hands, then back up at me before saying, "It's the only way he'll notice me."

Hermione was looking right into my eyes as she said it. I was looking right into hers. There was something there, something I couldn't pinpoint, something I was afraid of.

"Of course he notices you, even without your perfection," I whispered. She smiled and looked away, fiddling with the drawstring of her sweatshirt. I proceeded to get down the rest of my stuff, all the while with her playing with the drawstring. My heart was pounding in my chest. Whatever had just happened, it meant more than just a friendly compliment. I didn't know why I had said that. I didn't even know who _he_ was.

Maybe I did know, but I was just afraid.

As I was walking out the door, trailing my luggage behind me, I felt her soft hands on my face. She turned my cheek and kissed it.

I touched the spot where she'd kissed me and wondered aloud, "What was that for?"

She smiled. "You've done more for me than you can possibly know, Ron."

I smiled back. She followed me out the door to the platform.

There they all were – Fred and George, Bill and Fleur, Mom, Dad, even Charlie. Percy wasn't anywhere in sight. Ginny was already in her arms, still silent. When she saw me, she let go of Ginny and ran to me, squashing me in a rib-cracking hug.

"Oh, Ron, my dear, I'm so glad you're safe!" she cried, tears streaming from her face. I looked over my shoulder to see Hermione hugging her own parents.

"Hi, Mom," I said, hugging her back. I could tell that this summer would be the worst I had ever experienced.

Fred and George, dressed in new black robes, were more sullen-faced than I had ever seen them. They each grimaced at me, and I grimaced back, unsure of what to say to each other. Dad came over and hugged me too. Ginny stood and watched – she had already been through the ritual. Hermione was now walking over to us. Harry stood alone.

When I was finally able to break away from my mother, I went over to Hermione.

"At least we have the wedding," I said, shrugging.

She looked confused. "To do what?"

"To see each other again."

Her face brightened slightly. "Didn't you know? I'm coming to stay at the Burrow. Your parents were worried about protecting me, since Voldemort most likely knows that I'm connected to Harry, so they want me to be in a home where there are wizards who can help me out. The Burrow was the perfect place."

I smiled. "That's a good thing. Otherwise, I might not have been able to take waiting that long to see you. Because we're so close, I mean, and we wouldn't be able to write letters or anything," I added hurriedly.

She grinned. I loved her grin.

"Come, Ron, we're going to go home," Mom said to me when she was done fawning over Harry.

"I have to say goodbye still," I said, walking over to Harry.

He was still far away. Conciously, he saw the Muggles coming, but he wasn't moving.

"It's gonna be alright, mate," was all I had to offer.

"It will be once I can get away from the Dursleys," he said bitterly. "I swear, the second I turn seventeen, I'm out of there."

"You know you're always welcome at the Burrow," I said.

"Of course."

There was a silence for a moment, broken only by my pathetic, "Good luck with the Muggles. If you need me, you know where to find me."

"Alright. I guess I'll see you at the wedding."

"Yeah."

It was very stiff. I knew that had we been girls, we probably would have hugged. Instead we just gave each other frosty smiles and turned away.

Who ever thought that the death of one man could cause so much sadness, so much awkwardness, so much difference in so many ways?


	2. As Good As Dead

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.

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_** Chapter Two – Ginny**_  
_** As Good As Dead**_

**I still don't really know **why Harry broke up with me. I mean, I _know_ why – he doesn't want me to end up like Dumbledore did. The poor guy must think that everything he touches is dead within a few months. First, Cedric was killed the night of the final task. Then Sirius was killed fighting the Death Eaters that had lured Harry there with the sight of his dying Godfather. And, most recently, Dumbledore was slain, as well – the one person that he had left to defend him, the one person he knew would always help him.

I can appreciate that he cared about me so much that he wouldn't want me dead, but the truth is, we're probably all going to die anyway. We were all there, fighting the Death Eaters. There's no way they won't report to V – Vold – _Voldemort _who was there. We're as good as dead, with or without Harry.

I guess that's not true – without Harry, Voldemort would have no reason to be coming into Hogwarts School anyway.

But the point is, I understand that he wanted to keep me safe, but it's not doing me any good. Really. I'm dying here without him anyway. Doesn't he realize that either way, I'm dead?

Ever since Dumbledore's death, nothing has been the same. And I don't just mean me and Harry – Hermione has been crying all the time, Ron hasn't been afraid to hold her, Harry has been silent, I've been withdrawn. Mum is suddenly horrified that she'll lose us all. Bill and Fleur aren't completely all over each other anymore. Even Fred and George are a lot more somber. They don't bother to dress in their neon green dragon-skin robes. They don't even annoy us by Apparating into the rooms at random points in time to scare us all.

Besides, they know that if they did, we'd probably whip our wands out of our robes and curse them before they had time to apologize.

That's the sad thing about our way of life right now – we hear a loud noise and we suddenly feel like we need to defend ourselves. Sometimes, as I lie in bed, I can still hear the curses being cast at each other, the cries of victims being hit, the tearing of flesh, the trickling of blood, the howls of pain. I see people falling over, my friends getting hurt. And I still remember the horrible moment in my life when I was told that Dumbledore was dead.

Sometimes I have nightmares about that night. They're so terrifyingly real, and each time I come closer and closer to my end. Sometimes I get so close that someone has actually shot the Killing Curse in my direction, but I wake up before it hits me.

And in other dreams, I am so absorbed in my own fighting that once the Death Eaters are gone, I look around and realize that everyone's dead. Hermione, Ron, Bill, Neville, Luna, everyone. And then I see Harry running towards me, calling out my name, and he drops to the floor, too. I run over to him, turn him over, put my head to his chest, and feel that there is no pulse. He is dead, too.

When I wake up, I want to run into his arms and have him hold me, have him stroke my hair and whisper that it's ok. I want him to kiss me like he used to. But I come to my senses and realize that he's not here – he's still on Privet Drive with the Dursleys. Maybe someday he will be here, but I'll be too afraid to run to him anyway.

Who ever thought that the death of one man could cause so much horror, so much heartache, so much change in so many ways?


	3. Letters Never Sent

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**Disclaimer:**You know the drill.

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_**Chapter Three - Harry**_

_**Letters Never Sent**_

**Have you ever thought about **how much one stupid item can change your life? Well, for me, it was more along the lines of a few items changing my life in many ways. Each one took it farther down a darkening path that, in the end, will determine my entire future. Whether I live to save those whom I love or whether I die, hopefully like my father – standing straight and tall, ready to die if it will spare the others.

Unfortunately, I'm starting to realize that if I die, I won't be the last one he kills. He'll probably kill Ron, Hermione, Ginny, all the Weasleys, the whole Order of the Phoenix. He'll stop at nothing to be the most powerful wizard in the world.

But honestly, I've begun to realize that every year, there had been one object that changed my life forever. In my first year, it was that stone. That tiny crimson piece of rock that could supposedly make you immortal. What if it really didn't make you immortal, and Nicholas Flamel was secretly a being from another world with abnormally long life, and Voldemort had killed me that night, only to discover it was useless? But he didn't. Instead, I got away, the Stone was destroyed, and Voldemort just wanted to kill me even more.

Then, in my second year, there was that stupid diary. That stupid, awful diary. And if it weren't for me, Ginny wouldn't have been sucked into the diary. She wouldn't have almost died. But then again, if it weren't for that diary and the demon living within it trying to kill me, there would still be a monster roaming around the school.

Not that it matters. I'm not going back. No one is.

Then in my third year, it was the time-turner. That was one of the few objects that had a positive impact on my life. Without the time-turner, Sirius would be worse than dead, and Buckbeak would be headless.

In my fourth year, the object that changed my life was the Goblet of Fire. It changed more than just my life, though. It changed everyone else's lives, too. And it also took away a life.

In my fifth year, there wasn't really an object, unless you count dreams as objects. Those stupid, misleading dreams that ended up being the death of Sirius.

And then this year. There were actually seven objects this year. The Horcruxes. But those speak for themselves.

And then, after everything that happened in the last month and a half, I had to go back to Privet Drive.

I hated being there. I hated it. It was the worst thing, knowing that I'd put everyone in danger, and for all the contact I had with the wizarding world while I was rotting away at Privet Drive, everyone I truly cared about could be dead. I didn't want to be there with those goddamn Dursleys

It was worse than just being there, though. It was pretty bad being there just because everything I hated was there. I was always alone with my thoughts. Sometimes I wanted to have some time to think, to calm down, to remember the good things. But most of the time, I wanted the company of other people. Unfortunately for me, the only other people nearby were the Dursleys, and they couldn't be any comfort if they tried.

Usually, my birthday wasn't much of a big event in the Dursley household. The most I ever got was a pair of socks. Once I made friends with Ron and Hermione, I started getting gifts from them on my birthday. I couldn't even look forward to that. We had agreed not to write to each other, for fear that our mail would be intercepted and Voldemort would find out where we were. The Floo Network was dangerous, as well. There was no longer any way to contact any of my friends.

Sometimes, when I was really bored, I'd write letters that I could never send. I took that opportunity to write down the things that I wouldn't actually say to them in person. After all, they'd never see them. Nobody would.

The first person I wrote to was Ron.

_Dear Ron,_

_I don't really know why I'm writing this. It's kind of stupid and immature, since no one will ever see it. It sounds like one of those thing psychiatrists always say to do to help let out your anger. Then again, you probably wouldn't know what a psychiatrist is, so it doesn't really matter._

_I don't really know where I'm going after I can leave the Dursleys. As the day draws closer, I try as hard as I can to think of somewhere safe, but nowhere is safe anymore. Goddamnit, what good is there left in this world anymore?_

_So Hermione's staying at the Burrow with you. Have you snogged her yet? Why am I even bothering to ask, there's no way you'd do something like that. Honestly, Ron, it's pretty easy to tell that she likes you. Just go ahead and tell her how you feel._

_It sounds kind of stupid, but I miss you a lot. I know I'll at least be able to see you at Bill and Phlegm's wedding, but that's not nearly enough time to say goodbye._

_-Harry_

I put the letter in an envelope, wrote his name on it, sealed it, and put it on the corner of my desk, as though I was actually planning to send Hedwig out with it clutched in her beak. Then I started on my letter to Hermione.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Another stupid letter never to be sent. Remember in our second year when you were kind of nervous, thinking that my hearing voices was a bad sign and I was insane? Well, you never know._

_I don't really know what to say. I mostly just want to pretend that we were able to keep contact._

_Having fun at the Burrow? I bet it's a lot more exciting there than it is here. Basically the only contact I ever get with another living soul is Hedwig, occasionally with a spider that crawls in under the door or something. Tell Ron to hurry it up. He'll know what I mean._

_As I already said to Ron, I miss you guys a lot. I hope you're all safe. I don't want you dead on my account._

_-Harry_

I looked over at Hedwig's cage as I sealed Hermione's letter. She was itching to get out of her cage and deliver it.

"I'm sorry, Hedwig, I can't send this. If you want, you can go out on another hunt," I offered.

She gave a small coo of appreciation. I stroked her beak affectionately. She was the only person in that house who truly loved me, and I was letting her go, too.

I opened the window, let her out of her cage, and watched her disappear on to the horizon. I wished so badly that I could be like her – just fly away from all of my troubles. With my broom, I really could, but Dumbledore wanted me to stay, so I did.

I sat down at my desk again and began the hardest letter of them all – Ginny's.

_Dear Ginny – most wonderful, amazing, beautiful Ginny,_

_You're going to have to forgive me for breaking up with you. You and I both know that this isn't over, that although I had to say goodbye to you for now, I still want to be with you more than anything in the world. But sometimes, what's better for us has to take priority over what we want._

_Listen to me, trying to sound like Hermione – rational, smart, making sense all the time. Things like this don't ever make sense._

_I just wanted to say that I promise I'll come back for you, once things are better. You were the best thing that happened to me last year. It broke my heart to lose you, but if I had kept you, I might have had a worse case of heartbreak later on. If, God forbid, Voldemort ever found you, I don't know how I'd live._

_I guess that's all I can say for now. I've worn myself out writing these stupid letters. I just miss you like hell and I wish more than anything and I know that if you were close enough for me to touch, my life would be infinitely better, despite everything horrible that's going on._

_I don't know if I ever told you, but I love you._

_-Harry_

It took me almost an hour to write that one stupid letter. I put it in the envelope, sealed it, and wrote her name in emerald green ink.

When the Dursleys had left for the night, I snuck downstairs to the fireplace. It took me a while to remember the muggle way to light a fire, but eventually, I figured it out.

First, I tossed in Ron's letter, and then Hermione's. So much for getting them together.

Finally, I threw in Ginny's. That was the one I had wanted to send the most. Instead, I watched my words curling and burning, her name engulfed in flames.


	4. The World Is Spinning

**Disclaimer:** You know the drill.

**Author's Note**: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to get this out there...busy with a lot of stuff and in all truthfullness, I forgot I was writing it. Hope you like it!

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_**Chapter Four – Hermione**_  
_** The World is Spinning**_

**The world is spinning**, and I'm standing still. Or maybe I'm spinning, and the world is standing still. I don't know. Either way, I'm dizzy and I feel like falling down, but there's nowhere to fall, because I'm in a field of thorns and no matter what I do, I'll be hurt.

Ever since Dumbledore's death, we've all been different. I'm so worried about Harry, but I seek my comfort in Ron – something I never would have done before. I even kissed his cheek the other day. I know, it's obvious to him that I like him, he must know. But why am I pursuing it? If he knows and isn't doing anything about it he must have a problem with it.

When we got home from King's Cross, it was a silent house. Ron and I caught eyes and grimaced at what a dismal summer it would be.

"You three must be absolutely famished!" said Mrs. Weasley as she bustled into the kitchen, trying to lighten up the mood but failing miserably.

"I'm not really very hungry," said Ginny.

"Me neither," Ron chimed in quietly.

I said nothing.

"Are you sure? They don't give you much food on the train to begin with, and they must have been in short supply, what with the train having to come early and all –"

"Really, Mum, we're fine," Ron said, irritation creeping into his voice. "I really just want to go upstairs and go to sleep."

Mrs. Weasley sounded offended as she said, "Well, alright then, have a good rest, dears."

I stayed behind while Ginny and Ron tromped moodily up the stairs, which creaked loudly. Once they were in their bedrooms, all was silent.

"Aren't you going up to bed too, dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked me kindly.

"Not just yet – I'm going to make myself some tea," I said, standing up.

"No, no, don't be silly, I'll make it for you," she said, eager to help one of us out in some way.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," I said, sinking back into my chair.

After a good deal of silence (marred only by the sounds of the kitchen), Mrs. Weasley asked, "How are you feeling, Hermione? Are you alright?"

"I'm better than I could be, but I'm in a right state," I answered truthfully. "Nothing seems the same anymore. And I'm worried about Harry."

"So am I, dear. With Dumbledore gone, he's got little protection left. And he must be feeling so awful right about now," she said, bringing over my tea in a small mug and clutching a mug of her own. "Having to stay with those awful Muggles after something like this? Absolutely terrible."

"I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid when he gets out of there. Go chasing after Voldemort or something the second he's free. I wouldn't be surprised if he did, but I don't want him to all the same," I said as I breathed in the aroma of my tea.

"No, I don't want him to, either. The place I want him most is right here with us. That's where he belongs."

"Yes, this is where he belongs."

We drank the rest of the tea in silence, and when I was done, I stood and said, "I suppose I'll head up to bed now, too . . . I'm really quite tired."

"Alright, then, dear. I'll see you in the morning."

I went upstairs to the room that Ginny and I shared whenever I came to stay, passing the twins' room (in which Fred was lying in bed, twiddling his thumbs; George throwing a ball at the ceiling) and Ron's rooms on the way up. Ron's door was open, and he was lying on his side, facing the wall. I looked in for a second, but when I turned to leave the floorboards creaked and he flipped over and saw me standing in the doorway.

"I – I'm sorry," I stammered hurriedly. "I . . . I'll just . . . leave, I guess . . ."

"Was there something you wanted?" he asked as I took my first step out the door.

_Other than you?_ asked the voice in my head. "No," I began. I stood there for a moment and thought about what I said, then changed my mind. "Yes, there are many things I want. I want Professor Dumbledore to be alive again. I want everyone to be happy. I want to go to bed tonight smiling instead of crying, wishing that things were different. I want Harry and Ginny to be back together so that Ginny won't be so quiet. I want everything to be back to the way it was when we were still at Hogwarts. But you can't change any of that, Ron."

Ron beckoned me into his room, sat up and patted the bed next to him for me to sit down. "No, you're right. I can't change any of it. I wish I could. There are so many things that would be different if Dumbledore hadn't died that night. So much bad happened in that one night, those few hours. I never thought bad could come that quickly and that much. But I guess it can."

"I just wish that we could make it all go away. I can make almost anything go away if I just swish my wand the right way and say the right incantation," I said, feeling defeated.

"There are some things magic can't fix, Hermione," Ron said. "You know that."

"I know," I said firmly. "But is there nothing we can do?"

Ron sighed. "Not now, I don't think."

"What about Harry?" I asked after a moment or two.

His face suddenly turned a little stonier as he said, "Don't worry about Harry. He's Harry Potter, after all – he can do almost anything."

"But he's still our friend, Ron. I have to worry about him."

He sighed again and said, "I suppose you do. But for now, don't worry about anything. Just pretend for a minute that things are okay and maybe when you wake up they'll be better."

I fell asleep in Ron's arms for the second time that night.


End file.
